滴天髓 · 通神論Di Tian Sui · Tong Shen Lun The Marrow of Heaven

方是方兮局是局，方要得方莫混局。

A direction is a direction, a structure is a structure; the direction must be had as a direction - do not mix it with the structure.

gloss · 方 = direction (seasonal trio of branches); 局 = structure (element-completing trio)

note · 寅卯辰 is the eastern direction; mix in 亥卯未 and it overreaches - that is 'mixing the structure into the direction'.

局混方兮有純庛，行運喜南或喜北。

When the structure is mixed into the direction there is purity and blemish; the luck cycle favors the south or favors the north.

gloss · 純庛 = purity and blemish; 行運 = luck cycles (dà yùn)

note · 亥卯未 the Wood structure with a stray 寅/辰 is too strong; the south/north of the luck cycle then carries the purity or the blemish - it cannot favor all directions at once.

若然方局一齊來，須是干頭無反覆。

If the direction and the structure come together at once, the stems at the head must show no reversal.

gloss · 干頭 = the stems of the four pillars (the 'head' of the chart)

note · When the direction and structure arrive together, the stems must flow in orderly sequence and the luck cycles must not run counter.

成方乾透一元神，生地庫地皆非福。

When the direction is complete and one true spirit emerges in the stems, birth and storage grounds alike are not fortune.

gloss · 元神 = the one true spirit (the element that anchors the chart); 生地庫地 = birth ground and storage ground

note · 寅卯辰 complete with 甲乙 the one spirit emerging, and meeting 亥 the birth ground or 未 the storage ground, will not bring fortune - the direction must not be mixed with the structure.

成局乾透一官星，左邊右邊空碌碌。

When the structure is complete and one officer star emerges in the stems, left and right are empty and toil in vain.

gloss · 官星 = the Officer star (the stem that governs the Day Master)

note · 甲乙 day masters with 亥卯未 complete and 庚辛 the officer emerging, yet meeting 寅 on the right and 辰 on the left, gain no fame or wealth - the structure must not be mixed with the direction.

財官印綬分偏正，兼論食傷格局定。

Wealth, Officer, Seal and Ribbon split into partial and orthodox; together with Food and Hurting Officer the structure is then settled.

gloss · 財官印綬 = Wealth, Officer, Seal; 食傷 = Food God and Hurting Officer; 格局 = the structure/pattern

note · Beyond direction and structure, the Gé is the most important layer. A true Gé is one where the god of the month branch emerges in the stems; scattered stems that merely attach to the ruling branch do not form a Gé. Besides the eight orthodox patterns - partial/orthodox Officer, Wealth, Food, Hurting Officer, Seal - special patterns like Qūzhí (Straight-Wood) are also Gé; those judged by punishment, clash, harm and destruction cannot be called Gé.

影響遙繫既為虛，雜氣財官不可拘。

What moves by echo and ties from afar is already empty; do not be bound by mixed-qi Wealth and Officer.

gloss · 影響遙繫 = echo-and-distant-tie devices (flying stars, merged dews); 雜氣財官 = Wealth/Officer from the mixed qi of the four storage branches

note · Flying and merged-dew methods are echoes and distant ties, not true Gé. For those born in the months of the four storages (辰戌丑未), take Earth as the structure; for 戊己 day masters born in a storage month, see which hidden stem emerges in the stems and take that as the structure - do not treat all as mixed-qi Wealth and Officer.

官煞相混來問我，有可有不可。

Officer and Killer mixed - ask me of this: there are times it may and times it may not.

gloss · 官煞 = Direct Officer vs Seven Killings; 可混/不可混 = may/may not mix

note · Sha (Seven Killings) is Officer in another form: when they flow together and stop together they may mix; when they stand as separate gates they may not. With Sha heavy, Officer follows it - that is not mixing. With Officer light, Sha assists it - that is mixing.

傷官見官果難辨，可見不可見。

Hurting Officer meeting Officer is indeed hard to tell apart: there are times it may appear and times it may not.

gloss · 傷官 = Hurting Officer; 見官 = meeting the Officer

note · Weak day master with strong Hurting Officer may meet Officer when a Seal is present (Officer feeds Seal, Seal supports the body). Strong day master with strong Hurting Officer may meet Officer when Wealth is present (Wealth feeds Officer and drains Hurting). In short: with Wealth, Hurting Officer may meet Officer; without Wealth, it may not - always weighing body strong or weak.

從得真者只論從，從神又有吉和凶。

When following is truly gained, one discusses only the following; yet the followed spirit itself carries fortune and misfortune.

gloss · 從 = following (the chart surrenders to the dominant element); 從神 = the followed spirit

note · When the day master is lone and weak, with no support whatever among heaven, earth and man, and Wealth or Officer is overwhelming, that is true following. Then one reads the followed element: following Wealth, Wealth rules, and the luck cycles that favor its season bring fortune, otherwise misfortune. Following Killer works the same way.

化得真者只論化，化神還有幾般話。

When transforming is truly gained, one discusses only the transformation; the transformed spirit has several further words.

gloss · 化 = transformation (a combining pair); 化神 = the transformed spirit

note · For 甲 day master in a storage month meeting a single 己 on the month or hour stem (not the year), with no 壬癸甲乙庚 to break it, the transformation to Earth is real. 丙辛 in winter, 戊癸 in summer, 乙庚 in autumn, 丁壬 in spring, each sole combining pair, are true transformations. Then read the transformed element - a cold Earth needs Fire as Seal; an over-full Earth needs Water as Wealth, Wood as Officer, Metal as Food and Hurting - following its season's likes and dislikes.

真從之像有幾人，假從亦可發其身。

True following is a rare picture - few achieve it; but false following can still raise a person up.

gloss · 真從 = true following; 假從 = false following (some hidden support remains)

note · When the day master is weak and Wealth/Officer overwhelming, one cannot but follow. If there is hidden support within, it is false following; yet when the luck cycle reaches the Wealth/Officer's ground, even false following can bring wealth and honour - but the person rarely avoids misfortune, or a crooked heart.

假化之人亦可貴，孤兒異姓能出類。

Those who falsely transform may also be honoured; orphans and adopted lines can still rise above the crowd.

gloss · 假化 = false transformation (the combining pair is weak, or hidden support remains)

note · When the day master is lone and weak and meets the transforming stem, it cannot but transform. If there is secret support of the day master, or the transforming spirit is weak, the transformation is not true; yet when the years and cycles lift the transforming spirit and suppress the jealous gods, even false transformation may be used. An orphan or one of another surname may still excel - but such persons are often stubborn and perverse, hampered in affairs, and at odds with their own kin.

休咎係乎運，尤係乎歲，衝戰視其孰降，和好視其孰切。

Fortune and calamity hang on the luck cycle, and above all on the year; in clash and battle see which yields, in harmony and friendship see which is the closer.

gloss · 運 = the luck cycle (dà yùn); 歲 = the year (tài suì / the year ruler); 衝戰 = clash and battle; 和好 = harmony and accord

note · The day master is oneself; the gods in the chart are one's horses and attendants; the luck cycle is the land one travels through (so the branches weigh heavy, yet the stems are never absent); the year is the person one meets on the road (so the stems weigh heavy, yet the branches are never absent). First clarify the day master, pair it with the other seven characters, weigh the light and heavy, and see which cycle it enters.

何謂戰

What is called 'battle'?

gloss · 戰 = battle (one directly attacks the other)

note · A bing (丙) cycle meeting a geng (庚) year - the cycle attacks the year. If the day master likes geng, bing must yield; good if it meets wu (戊, which drains) or ren (壬, which controls). If the day master likes bing and the year will not yield, bringing in wu and ji (戊己) to harmonize is best - the year is the sovereign spirit, so harmonizing wins. If geng sits on yin (寅), bing's power is great and the year must yield - great force leaves the year powerless, and one is spared calamity. The reverse - a geng cycle meeting a bing year, the year attacks the cycle - is read the same way, remembering that the cycle governs ten years and is the closer kin to the chart.

何謂衝

What is called 'clash'?

gloss · 衝 = clash (opposite branches collide)

note · A zi (子) cycle meeting a wu (午) year - the cycle clashes the year. If the day master likes zi, support zi; better still if the year's stem is one that controls wu. If wu's party is numerous, or the stems carry bing, wu, or jia (丙戊甲), it must be misfortune. When wu is heavy and zi light, the year will not yield, yet there is no blame - its force is already set, and the year's power cannot bring calamity.

何謂和

What is called 'harmony'?

gloss · 和 = harmony (a combining pair forms)

note · A yi (乙) cycle meeting a geng (庚) year - or the reverse - is harmony, for yi and geng transform to Metal. If the day master likes Metal, good fortune; if it likes Wood, not. Likewise a zi (子) cycle meeting a chou (丑) year harmonizes to Earth: liking Earth is fortunate, liking Water is not.

何謂好

What is called 'accord'?

gloss · 好 = accord (same element, same polarity - simply good company)

note · A geng (庚) cycle meeting a xin (辛) year, a shen (申) cycle meeting a you (酉) year - and the reverses - are accord. If the day master likes the yang, geng (and shen) are the accord; if it likes the yin, xin (and you) are the accord.

道有體用，不可以一端論也，要在扶之抑之得其宜。

The Way has substance and function; it cannot be argued from one end alone. The point is to support it or check it, each to its right degree.

gloss · 體 = substance (the base the reading stands on); 用 = function (what is put to use); 扶/抑 = support / check (suppress)

note · Sometimes the day master is the substance and the month-branch Food/Wealth/Officer are its functions. Sometimes the month branch is the substance and the delight-gods its function: if the month's Wealth/Officer/Food is too strong, take the Seal and Sibling that assist on year/month/hour as delight-gods; if the month's Seal/Sibling is too strong, take the Food/Hurting/Wealth/Officer as delight-gods. There are also readings where the four pillars are the substance and a hidden spirit (暗沖暗合) is the function, where the four pillars are the substance and a transforming spirit is the function, where the transforming spirit is the substance and the four pillars the function, where the four pillars are the substance and the years-and-cycles the function, where a delight-god is the substance and its helper the function, and where the pattern-image is the substance and the day master the function. One end alone never decides.

人有精神，不可以一偏求也，要在損之益之得其中。

People have essence and spirit; neither may be sought from one side alone. The point is to lessen the one and add to the other until the centre is reached.

gloss · 精 = essence (jīng); 神 = spirit (shén); 損益 = decrease and increase

note · Among the Five Elements, Metal and Water are the essence-qi, Wood and Fire the spirit-qi, and Earth is what fills them solid. There are those whose spirit is full and whose essence is quietly sufficient without being seen; those whose essence is full and whose spirit is quietly sufficient; those whose essence is missing and spirit drained, the day master lone and weak; those with spirit lacking but essence in surplus; essence lacking, spirit in surplus; both lacking yet qi vigorous; essence missing but helped by spirit; spirit missing but born by essence; essence helping essence and draining it in turn; spirit helping spirit and killing it in turn - all for want of qi to give life. None of these may be sought from one end alone; every one is a matter of decreasing and increasing the advance and retreat, so that neither excess nor shortfall remains.

能知衰旺之真機，其於立命之奧，思過半矣。

To know the true mechanism of decline and vigour - more than half of the deep secret of settling one's destiny is passed.

gloss · ,衰旺 = decline and vigour; 立命 = settling the destiny

note · Vigour should be drained and wounded; decline should be helped and supported - this is the Ziping principle. Yet within the vigorous there is a decline that must not be cut, and within the declining a vigour that must not be added. At the extreme of vigour it must not be cut, for the cut is already within; at the extreme of decline it must not be added, for the addition is already within. When what should be cut is cut and instead brings misfortune, when what should be added is added and instead brings harm - the one who knows the true mechanism in all this is not far from the mystery of settling destiny.

能識中和之正理，而於五行之妙，有全能焉。

To know the right principle of centre and harmony is to hold the full subtlety of the Five Elements.

gloss · 中和 = centre and harmony (the balanced mean); 正理 = the right principle

note · Centre-and-harmony is the master method of Ziping. It is said 'with disease one may be noble, with no blemish one is no marvel' - yet in the end, when the pattern removes its disease, wealth and rank follow together, which is centre and harmony again. It must return to centre and harmony to be of the highest nobility. If the body is weak and Wealth/Officer strong, one takes wealth and rank without needing the centre; if the function-god is strong, wealth and rank again without needing harmony; if the qi is odd and strange, wealth and rank again without centre or harmony - for the world's wealth and rank are only so many, and the world's talents are the most cunning and crooked.

剛柔不一也，不可制者，引其性情而已矣。

Firm and supple are not one and the same; what cannot be controlled, one draws out its temperament - that is all.

gloss · 剛柔 = firm and supple; 制 = control/force; 引其性情 = draw out its nature and temper

note · Firm and supple supporting each other goes without saying. But when the firm is aided by the supple and its temper is not caught, it only adds to its hardness - like a warrior who gains troops and turns to killing. Geng and Xin born in the seventh month, meeting Ding Fire which rouses their ferocity, Yi Wood which feeds their violence, Ji Earth which fulfils their resolve, Gui Water which sharpens their edge - better to aid the firm with something firm-in-suppleness, such as Ren Water, which has the right nature to draw through and lead Geng's temper. If the firm is met with something firmer to goad it, the calamity cannot be spoken. Likewise the supple aided by the firm, its temper not caught, only undoes its suppleness - like a woman met with favour and force who falls to lewdness. Yi Wood born in the eighth month, meeting Jia, Bing, Ren which please and relax it, or Wu, Yin, Geng which frighten it into losing itself - better to aid the supple with something supple-in-firmness, such as Ding Fire, which has the right nature to settle Yi Wood's temper.

順逆不齊也，不可逆者，順其氣勢而己矣。

Following and opposing are not the same; what cannot be opposed - follow its momentum, that is all.

gloss · 順逆 = following and opposing; 氣勢 = momentum (the qi's force)

note · The way of firm and supple may be followed, not opposed. A source long and deep in flow may be followed, not opposed. Where the force is already formed, follow it, not oppose it. Where power rests in one person, follow, not oppose. Where two hearts are one, follow, not oppose.

天道有寒暖，發育萬物，人道得之，不可過也。

Heaven's way has cold and warm, which grow and give life to all things; the human way receiving them must not overstep.

gloss · 寒暖 = cold and warm; 人道得之 = the human way receives them

note · The yin branches are cold, the yang branches warm; Metal and Water are cold, Wood and Fire warm. Qi that has caught cold is brought forth by meeting warmth; qi that has caught warmth is completed by meeting cold. If the cold is extreme or the warmth at its full, and within there is one or two formed images, there is no good in it. When the yang elements meet the zi month - after one yang, all things are conceived; yang riding the yang positions may go east or west. When the yin meets the wu month - after one yin, all things are gathered in; yin riding the yin positions may go south or north.

地道有燥濕，生成品彙，人道得之，不可偏也。

Earth's way has dry and moist, which bring forth all kinds; the human way receiving them must not lean to one side.

gloss · 燥濕 = dry and moist; 品彙 = all kinds of things

note · Excessively moist: stagnant and without achievement. Excessively dry: fierce and bringing calamity. Water born by Metal, meeting cold earth, grows the moister; Fire born by Wood, meeting warm earth, grows the drier - both are one-sided and withered. Wood and Fire forming dryness speaks of the Wood-Fire Hurting Officer needing moisture; Earth and Water forming moisture speaks of the Metal-Water Hurting Officer needing dryness. Where Fire and Earth suit dryness, use Earth then Fire; where Metal is dry and suits moisture, use Metal then Water.

月令提綱，譬之宅也，人元用事之神，宅之向也，不可以不卜。

The month-branch ruling is like the house; the hidden stem in charge is the house's facing - one cannot but divine it.

gloss · 月令提綱 = the month command (the ruling branch); 人元 = the hidden stems within a branch; 用事之神 = the stem in charge

note · The month star is the very key of the chart: images and delight-gods that have the month's season are fortunate. It is like a person's dwelling; the hidden stems within the branch - as in yin (寅) holding wu-earth, bing-fire, jia-wood - one distinguishes which is in charge, and then can take the structure and the function. In a yin-month birth: before the seventh day after Lichun, wu-earth governs; the eighth to fourteenth day, bing-fire; after the fifteenth, jia-wood. Knowing this, one can take the structure and the function.

生時歸宿，譬之墓也，人元用事之神，墓之穴也，不可以不辨。

The birth hour is the resting place - like the tomb; the hidden stem in charge is the tomb's site - one cannot but distinguish it.

gloss · 生時 = the birth hour; 人元用事 = the hidden stem in charge within the hour branch

note · Born in the zi hour, the first three marks (刻) and three parts have ren-water in charge, the latter four marks and seven parts gui-water - how does that compare with a yin-hour birth where wu-earth, bing-fire, jia-wood each govern in turn? What governs within the chart, and how does it compare with ren- and gui-water? To exhaust the shallow and deep is like fixing the grave-site - then one can decide fortune and calamity. When the year, month, day and hour are the same yet a hundred people each answer differently, one must indeed examine the hour's precedence, and also discuss the difference of mountain and river, and the diversity of inherited virtue - and nine in ten will prove true. The rare failures are but small differences: this one gains office, that one many sons, this one much wealth, that one a fair wife. The difference of mountains and rivers is not only east-west-south-north; even within one village, custom and air are not uniform. The diversity of inherited virtue is not only wealth and poverty set apart; even within one house, good and evil, right and wrong are not all equal. The student who observes this can know the rise and fall.

何處起根源，流向可方住，機括此中求，知來亦知去。

Where does the root rise? Where may the flow stop? Seek the hinge-mechanism within - and you know what comes, and what goes.

gloss · 根源 = root and source; 流向 = the flow's direction; 機括 = the hinge-mechanism (the pivot)

note · One need not argue over whether the element is in season: take the element of greatest vigour, the ancestor of the whole chart, as the source. See where this source flows, and where it comes to rest: if the resting place is a delight-god, it is well to stop there. In the chart 丁巳/戊申/癸巳/辛酉 (hour/day/month/year), Fire is the source, flowing to the Metal-Water quarter where it stops - hence wealth and honour. If it flowed on to Wood, the qi would be spent into disorder. If it never reaches the resting place and meets an obstruction, see where it is blocked and what god blocks it - and fortune and misfortune are known. In 壬子/癸丑/壬戌/癸丑, Earth is the source flowing to the Water quarter, where it merely gives life to a single body - the Fire-Earth qi hidden in xu has no way to be drawn out and helped - hence the man became a monk.

兩意本相通，中間有關隔，此關若通也，到處歡相得。

Two intentions are by nature in communication; a barrier stands between them. If this barrier is opened, everywhere they meet in joy.

gloss · 關隔 = the barrier that separates; 通關 = opening the passage (bridging)

note · The qi of yin and yang wishes to combine and give mutual life: Wood and Earth find Fire, Fire and Metal find Earth, Earth and Water find Metal, Metal and Wood find Water, Water and Fire find Wood - the affections are by nature in communication. If in between it is blocked, or punished and clashed, or robbed and seized, that is the barrier. When the chart and its years-and-cycles bring a drawing, meeting or combining spirit that removes the block, harmonizes the punishment and clash, and controls the robbing - that is opening the passage. When the passage is open, the whole chart flows smoothly - how could it not meet in joy!

一清到底有清神，管取平生富貴真，澄濁求清清得去，時來寒谷也生春。

Clear to the end with a clear spirit - one may be sure of true wealth and honour in life. Strain the turbid, seek the clear, and when it is won, the cold valley too puts forth spring.

gloss · 清 = clear (the pattern runs true, nothing breaks it); 濁 = turbid; 澄濁求清 = strain the turbid to seek the clear

note · Clear does not mean a single qi forming a pattern. In the Direct-Officer structure, if the body is strong and Wealth present, or body weak and Seal present, and no Hurting Officer or Seven Killings troubles it - even if Sibling, Food, Wealth, Killer, Seal mingle in, each finds its order and place, or acts as a idle god that does not break the pattern - that is clear. It must also have spirit and momentum, neither withered nor weak, to be excellent. Turbid does not mean all five elements issuing at once: in the Direct-Officer structure, if the body is weak and Killer and Food mix in so they cannot harm the Officer but are at odds with it, or Seal mixes in but cannot support the body and instead fights Wealth - that is a turbid chart. If one god is forceful, or the luck cycle clears the turbidity, that is straining turbid to seek clear - also a destiny of wealth and honour.

滿盤濁氣令人苦，一局清枯也苦人，半濁半清無去取，多成多敗度晨昏。

A chart full of turbid qi brings one bitter pain; a chart clear but withered also pains one. Half turbid, half clear, with nothing to take or reject - many successes, many defeats, passing dawn and dusk.

gloss · ,清枯 = clear but withered (weak and without qi); 半濁半清 = half turbid, half clear

note · ,When no clear qi can be found in the chart, and the luck cycles cannot clear the turbidity, it must be poverty and baseness. If the chart is clear but withered - weak and without qi, and the cycles never meet a birth-ground - that too is a person of clear bitterness. When the turbid is hard to remove and the clear is not true, and the cycles neither meet the clear nor shed the turbid, this is a life of mixed success and failure.